Silent Promises
by Mitsukai Kanashimi
Summary: There's a big secret the little mistress needs to know, but it might take some time before she finds out what it is. A/N: I swear... These fan fictions would be the death of me
1. Prologue

Autumn leaves fell as a cold, heavy breeze blew. In the distance, people could make out the silhouettes of two children – a boy and a girl – playing recklessly beneath a dying ginkgo tree. No one knew much about these two kids aside from the fact that they were siblings.

The girl was short yet very smart for her age. Her purple hair, which she had insisted on cutting short, was pulled back to a semi-ponytail. Her outfits were often of purple ensembles so as to match her eyes which were a pair of bright, soulful amethysts. Albeit she had recently turned six, people kept on mistaking her for a four -year-old, not only because she looks like one, but she acts like one too.

Her brother is an exact opposite. He was stoic, mysterious and very observant. His sapphire-blue eyes were seldom fixed in an angry expression, but on certain occasions, he would smile and his eyes would hint a rather cheery demeanor. He seems to like the color blue since he wore it a lot, but it might've also been because his sister thinks the color suits him. Everyone estimated that he'd turn eight soon; maybe in a week or so.

The two of them were laughing and chasing each other around the tree, the girl falling several times in an attempt to grab the hem of the boy's shirt, and the boy stopping momentarily to make sure she was alright. When everything appeared fine, they'd continue running until the girl was finally able to grab the boy's wrist. That meant one thing: he'd have to push her back and forth on the tree swing – an improvised work by their butler; a tall, elderly man who looks after them like a father.

It was a tire that hung by a thick, orange rope which wound around the topmost branch of the tree. Leaves had rested themselves in the hollow of the tire, so the girl had to spend a few more minutes to remove them all before she climbed unto the object and sat herself in the loop, hands holding on to the rope. The boy warned her that if she fell, he'd do nothing to help which caused the girl to laugh out loud. He then pushed her as hard as he can, sending her into the air while she stretched her right hand so that she'd reach the closest branch which hung at around seven feet above the ground. The swing heaved back down, and the boy revved forward again. Each time the swing pulled back to him, he'd push harder until the girl managed to grab the last surviving leaf on the tree before her legs buried themselves in a pile of yellow leaves again.

"Brother, look," the girl murmured, gazing at the leaf she had just plucked off. The boy leaned over to get a better view of what his sister was holding and his gaze softened. She was actually holding two leaves; one was smaller and greener than the other, and they were attached together by the stem.

"It's just like us," the girl commented, smiling at her brother. "We'll be like this when we get older. We won't be separated no matter what happens, right?"

"Yeah," the boy said, pausing for a second before adding. "You better take that home and glue it to the scrapbook you're making."

The girl nodded. "It'll look great! I'll even put our names on it... Lass on the bigger leaf and Arme on the smaller leaf, see?" The girl waved the leaves to her brother's face. The boy simply smiled as he hefted his little sister off the tire and kneeled down so that his eyes were on the same level as hers. He then gave her a pat on the head and smiled – like he'd usually do when she had thought of something brilliant.

Her brother stared at her as he stood up before turning his head to face the sun which was setting slowly in the horizon. Another cold breeze blew, signaling that they should return home. "It's been a year, right?"

The girl then jumped up and held on to her brother's arm while saying, "Yup!

The boy looked at his sister, then at the sky, remembering the events twelve months prior…

Rain poured down the suburbs of a small town as a young boy no older than eight ran through the streets, cowering in fear as thunder boomed from above. His clothes were already drenched with both blood and water. He had asked for shelter from a few houses, but none of the people he had looked up to took notice of his condition. He tried avoiding the mansions since he knew the rich never really cared about people like him. He knelt by the sidewalk and was about to succumb to the idea that he might die in the streets, but before he could close his eyes and allow the cold wind to freeze him, he caught sight of an opened gate which lead into one of the largest manors in the area. He didn't think twice in sneaking into the house and exploring the whole place. There was a bit of laughter from the inside as he made his way past what could have been a kitchen.

"I'll go get something to drink," he heard a deep, masculine voice say. He peeked through the window and could make out the shape of an old man who seemed to be searching the fridge for something to munch on and behind him was a little girl who watched him eagerly as he brought out two bottles of juice. The boy froze and ducked below the window when she looked straight in his direction. Thinking it was only a product of his imagination, the boy decided to look again, only to find that the girl was pointing at him.

He decided to run for the sake of his life but ended up falling backwards once his body made contact with a person.

"What are you doing here, my boy?" An old man asked at the top of his voice, holding out a hand to help the boy up but the boy gingerly refused.

"The gate was open," he replied, his voice barely audible as he lowered his head so that his hair covered his face. "I'm sorry for trespassing. I just need a place to stay."

"Shouldn't your parents be worried by now?" The man questioned, staring intently at the boy as he stood up.

"They're dead," The boy sharply retorted causing the old man to flinch lightly.

"So… You really need a new place to stay?" The old man asked again, earning a nod from the boy. "If you want, you could stay here. I'll introduce you to my mistress, Arme. She's a cheery little tyke, but mind you she's extremely childish."

"W-wait… That girl isn't your grand-daughter?" The boy inquired, lifting his head a fraction.

"Of course not! I'm her butler!" The old man boasted. "Now come before you catch a cold."

The butler led him into the kitchen, which was a lot bigger from the inside. A huge door which led to the dining room was located on the left side of the room. Three wooden cupboards hung in mid-air while a cocktail cabinet exposing several wines was tucked in the corner. The fridge sat beside the stove which was found on the right side of the sink. To his right, a red apron was hung, and letters he couldn't make out were inscribed on it.

The old man slipped into the dining room for a moment to probably clear out a few things with his mistress. The boy could hear the words "brother" and "family", though he didn't really know if that meant a lot. The old man then entered the kitchen and gave the boy a towel to dry himself up, and then he told him that the mistress was a five-year-old who shouldn't be provoked because of her height. The boy nodded and watched as the old man beckoned the little girl to enter the room. She seemed cautious for a moment but then she ran inside and hid behind the man.

"T-That's him?" She asked in a very high-pitched voice.

"Yes mistress," The old man replied.

"He has blood on his clothes… Just like mom and dad when they left," The little girl stated, causing the old man's eyes to widen momentarily as he glanced at the boy. The girl added, "Mom and dad never said anything about a brother."

"Brother?" The boy mouthed at the old man who nodded in return.

"Why don't you introduce yourself to him, mistress?" The old man suggested smiling as the little girl prudently walked towards the boy. She stopped momentarily and bowed.

"M-my name is Arme," She paused and pointed at the butler. "H-He told me that I wasn't even born when f-father took you to study in another city. P-Please tell me y-your name."

The boy stared at the old man as if to say "Is this really necessary?" and gulped when he gained a nod from the said person.

"L-Lass," the boy choked out. "My name is Lass, –" Pausing for a moment, he stated, "—and it's a pleasure to finally meet you, little sister."

The girl smiled and pounced on her "brother," wrapping him in a tight embrace. He hesitantly hugged her back, sneaking a glance at the butler.

From that very evening, he took care of her, and over time he got used to his new life. He would take her to several wonderful places, and he even started considering her as an actual sister. He just hoped that one day; he wouldn't regret his decision to stay with her.

"Brother, is everything okay?" His sister suddenly asked, automatically cutting his thoughts off.

"Y-Yes," He replied, holding her hand. "Let's go home."


	2. Going beyond the truth

Nine years flew rapidly and with each passing moment, Lass felt all the more comfortable with the fact that he was _living_ with two people he wasn't even related to. All the years he had spent with them had taken their toll… At age ten, he learnt so much about the girl's family – about how her parents died and how she gained support from an uncle who refused to reveal his identity. At age thirteen, he started to panic due to the fact that his hormones were getting the best of him and he couldn't help gazing at his sister's sleeping face when they were in bed together. At fifteen, he panicked even more because it was his sister's turn to undergo puberty which was quite excruciating for her since she was the only girl in the house. At age sixteen, he had completely forgotten about the risks he was taking and decided to start afresh with his "family".

And finally at seventeen, he started wondering about telling his sister the truth.

* * *

"Brother, you can't keep your room like this. Grandpa doesn't like it," A short, amethyst-eyed girl said as she stood in a sea of clothes – the one trademark of her brother's unkempt room. "The clothes should be in the drawers, the papers and books should be in the shelves, the game consoles should be on top of the study table or in the bookshelves if you want them to be there and the bed should be visible," she advised, pointing at the messy pile of objects as she mentioned each one. "Seriously brother, could you actually sleep here?"

"Yes," a tall, silver-haired lad replied as he picked up a scarlet notebook. "I assume this is yours," he said as he tossed the object to his sister who gratefully caught it before looking at the cover absently.

"Oh! I-It's m-my," she faltered looking at her brother. "It's my diary. You didn't read it, did you?"

"No and if I did, your crush would be in a hospital with a broken arm," he lied, suppressing a laugh as he shifted a pile of clothes to the side.

"He _is_ in the hospital with a broken arm…" the girl retorted, looking down dejectedly as she recalled the state of the poor boy. "I'd better learn to keep my diary from the likes of you. Now, let's go back to cleaning your room. Where do we start?"

He glanced at his sister as he picked up what seemed to be a really thick game guide. "What do you mean "we"? I'm gonna take care of my stuff. I don't want you messing around with my property. And in case you're forgetting, you are in my territory, so get out," He said, pointing at the door with a smirk.

"You are so mean," She jerked with sarcasm before wrapping her arms around him and letting go all too quickly. "I'm off to the library. See you at noon brother!"

"Stay out of trouble," he reminded her. "I hope you're not using the library as an excuse to meet up with that stupid guy… What was his name again? R-Ro… Ray… Whatever. Just don't do anything ridiculous, okay?"

"That's a promise bro!" She called out as she trudged down the stairs.

The boy sighed as he picked up the purple notebook his sister was holding earlier. "Arme, you forgetful little brat," he muttered, walking over to a purple door located right next to his room. He wondered whether it was okay to enter her room, after all, he only wanted to return the diary. He hesitantly reached out for the door knob only to be frozen on the spot by a deep, masculine voice from behind him.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Lass," the butler warned as he seized the notebook from the silver-haired boy. "Arme would hate it if someone enters her room. And if you'd leave that thing in there, she'd know you were inside. She's—"

"Smart," Lass interjected, rolling his eyes. "I wonder if she'd be smart enough to realize I'm not her brother. She used to be so suspicious."

"Yes, she _used_ to," the old man commented as he tucked the notebook into an inside pocket. "On the contrary, you also _used_ to be a great actor. I've noticed that you're not playing your role well… You've _become_ her brother, Lass."

"I don't think so, grandpa. I'm just being myself," Lass replied, sighing as he stalked back to his room. He stopped momentarily to look back at the butler. "Hey grandpa… Shouldn't you consider telling her the truth? You're not getting any younger, you know?"

"I know, and that's why I need you around. If anything happens to me, at least my mistress wouldn't be alone," The old man explained as he started down the staircase. "You better go ahead and clean your room, boy. That thing's not going to clean itself."

The boy muttered a curse before moving back to his room to glare at the number of things he's got to fix before his sister returns. One by one, he started picking up the books littered on the floor – all of which were shonen mangas he'd read when he was bored—then he lazily shoved them into the shelf. Next, he started picking up the clothes –which were surprisingly clean— and didn't even bother folding them as he forced them into his cabinet. After that, he turned around and glared at his bed which was definitely something a normal person wouldn't sleep on. Sighing, he lifted the covers to remove the objects hidden underneath– an iPod, a knife (it was probably for people who dared try to break into their home but even he had no clue how it emerged under his bed sheet), a guitar string (from Arme's scrapbook after she decided to quit music lessons) and a blank notebook with a blue cover. Lass tucked the corners of the sheet to the edges of the bed and covered it with a huge, black comforter before leaning two pillows against the headboard.

"Brother!" He heard a high-pitched voice call from downstairs followed by the tapping of feet on the steps. "The library's closed today. Are you done?"

Lass reached out for the door knob to greet his sister, but the door had other ideas and fell down outwardly. The boy tried to grab the side of the object as quickly as he could, but it was collapsing faster than he had hoped. In a matter of seconds, the door had ripped itself off its hinges and had chosen to fall on the weakest member of the family – Arme.

* * *

Everything seemed blurry to Arme as her lavender eyes squinted open. All she could see was a trace of white light, which was the source of her fake assumptions that she was already dead. The sharp pain on the top of her head was all she could feel so far, and all she could hear was the voices belonging to people she held dear to her.

"_Is she gonna be okay?_" She could recognize the voice of her brother and it seemed to be coming from her right – the place he'd use to sit when they were in a hospital.

Then came another voice, this time belonging to the butler whom she considered her grandfather. "_She's going to be fine. The nurse said she only got hit on the head pretty badly. She was small enough to fit in the space between the staircase railings and the door._" She guessed the old man was sitting to her left.

She heard her brother speak again, _"Well I hope I'm not gonna be held responsible for this. After all I'm not—"_

"_Shush boy! She's awake."_

"Arme, are you feeling okay?" Her brother asked her as her eyes widened in a rather forceful manner. She sat up slowly, her face fixed into a pained expression. Lass rested his hand on her left, allowing her to wrap her arms around him.

"I'm going to leave you two alone. Lass, we'll talk about what you're 'responsible' for later," The old man informed as he stood up and walked to a white door which contrasted minimally against the light gray walls.

"The door incident startled me," Arme said in a hush as she let go, glancing at her brother who seemed to be in a very bad mood. "Brother, is something wrong?"

"No… W-well yeah, maybe," He told her, holding his head up momentarily and looking down again. "I didn't expect that thing to fall down. It didn't appear to have any problems. It just… _fell."_

"My head still hurts," Arme groaned, lifting her hand to touch the tender spot at the top of her head.

"Don't touch it," Lass said, grabbing his sister's hand and absent-mindedly squeezing it. Then he leaned down to kiss her forehead. "You look like you don't have the strength to talk. You'd better get some rest," he told her before walking off to the door. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

"What could happen? It's not like I'd stand up and sprain my ankle," She said with a smile.

Lass sighed. "I'm gonna go out for a moment and talk to grandpa. Stay. Out. Of. Trouble."

"Okay," Arme murmured, lying back down on the bed as she heard the door being shut.

* * *

"Recompose yourself. Never kiss her again," Lass muttered to himself before looking to the right. Sitting on a white waiting bench was the butler who was staring at him intently. "You said you wanted to talk," Lass started, propping down next to the old man. "It's about what I almost said earlier right?"

"You're supposed to watch what you say, boy," The old man told him. "You're giving yourself away too easily. Once she finds out the truth, you'd know how she'd react."

"I've readied myself for her reaction, grandpa. I don't care if she yells at me for lying to her," He retorted, grimacing. "Sometimes, I feel like succumbing to the fact that I'd have to tell her I'm not her brother. We don't share the same blood."

"Yes, I know. But it's not as easy as you think, Lass," The butler warned, looking up. "You're carrying her family name. If you let out your—I mean, _our_ secret, her whole family would find out, and so would the world. You'll have to wait for the right t—"

"The right time was nine years ago, when she'd understand the whole situation. When her mind was innocent enough to look up to me as an ordinary person," Lass responded, standing up.

"She hasn't changed Lass. She's still the child you saw and knew back then," The butler sighed. "You know my boy, you haven't changed either. You still wouldn't explain what happened before you found the mansion."

"If I explained everything, you might regret the fact that you took me in," Lass said, tilting his head downwards so that his hair covered his face.

"Why so?" The old man asked, looking askance at the boy.

"Care to wonder why I thought you were her grandfather?" The boy stated, a hint of anger burning in his tone. "Because my parents thought you were. The very moment I saw you and Arme, I thought you two were relatives because my parents told me you were."

"So… What do your parents have to do everything? They died didn't they?"

"Yes… They died… They got killed in a shootout. You know... With the police and all."

"I see now. So you got a chance to escape. But why did they get involved in a shootout?"

"Because the police wanted to protect Arme's family. My parents… They were planning to kill Arme."


	3. And so the expected happens

The butler sighed uncomfortably as he brushed invisible dust off his tuxedo. Standing up to look at Lass in the eyes, the old man thought warily about what he heard not too long ago: "_They were planning to kill Arme."_ He grasped the boy's shoulders firmly; looking at his reflection in the distraught gaze he was given.

His mind was torn apart— After all, he had trusted Lass with all his heart from their first encounter. He knew that if the boy had truly loved his parents, he would clearly seek revenge – perhaps he would take away the mistress' life when the right moment comes, or obtain the family's riches and keep them all to himself, and no one would have the ability to dictate him. It was all possible, but the old man simply couldn't imagine the boy doing all these things. It would be a frame without the picture…

"Your… Parents? What kind of people are they to you?" He asked; his tone clearly indicating that he wanted a sincere answer.

"My parents… They were terrible," Lass muttered in response, looking down. The butler simply sighed back as he shook his head. His mind was playing a bunch of images of what the boy's parents might've been like. "But I loved them. I did everything I could for them."

"So… You could continue their mission… for their sake?" The butler asked as his hands dropped back to his sides.

"I would have done that a long time ago … before I met you guys," the boy murmured in an honest manner. "Let's just say that my used-to-be-twisted view on Arme and her family straightened up when I stumbled into the household."

The butler chuckled, laying one hand on the boys shoulder. "Lass, I don't know much about what I got the both of us into. But no matter what you say or do, remember that I have my faith in you. If anything goes wrong and it's your entire fault, the guilt would wash over you sooner or later."

"I know," Lass smiled, half-heartedly. "You always say that when Arme gets in trouble and I'm to blame for the incident."

"Don't forget it," The old man grinned, removing his hand from Lass' shoulder and resting it on the door knob. "I swear I just heard something fall from inside the ward."

Lass groaned, slamming a palm on his forehead. "Arme, you little troublemaker!"

* * *

"I was getting curious," Arme said as she toyed with her fingers. Moments ago, she had tried to climb off the bed to start a search for her brother in the hospital, but due to her clumsiness and ignorance, she hadn't noticed a patch of water on the ground – which must've come from the untouched glass of water on her bedside table— and slipped. Now, she's sitting half-motionless on the bed, her left foot mounted with an ice bag. Lass tapped the object with his index finger, watching as his sister winced with the rhythm.

"That's called karma," he said, tapping away.

"Stop that! It hurts!" Arme protested; stretching a hand in an attempt to push her brother's away from the ice bag.

"And I care, why?" Lass grinned, giving the object one last merciless tap, causing Arme to bite her lower lip.

"You're evil!" The purple-haired girl cried, folding her hands across her chest. "Grandpa! Brother's being mean again!"

The butler smiled, making no attempt to stop the boy from teaching the girl a very useless lesson. He always looked at the pair as a subject of humor, especially in circumstances like this. For the mistress, every incident recurs in a manner that the recent one is worse than the last, and because of that, Lass' brotherly instincts take over, and when it does, he becomes very strict, and sometimes overprotective. In this occasion, however, the boy seemed to enjoy insulting her—something the old man found very strange.

"What happened earlier is called an _accident, _brother!" Arme argued, leaning over to look at Lass in the eyes. By now, the boy was sitting on a white chair he had grabbed from beside the window and placed by the bedside hours ago. His elbow rested on the mattress so that his hand supported his head.

"Incorrigible brat," he teased, playing with a few strands of his sister's violet locks.

"Don't change the topic! Besides, I'm too cute for an incorrigible brat~!" Arme retorted, tilting her head upwards as if to prove her statement.

"Are you now?" Lass asked, ruffling Arme's hair. "Gloating doesn't suit you. When you get out of the hospital, I'm gonna have to shove you into a library. That shifting personality of yours reminds of someone I know."

"Who? Your girlfriend?" Arme stated in a sing-song voice. "Brother has a girlfriend! Brother has a girlfriend!"

"Shut up," Lass said lazily as he stood up, his hand digging deeper into his sister's hair. "If I had a girlfriend, I wouldn't give a crap about her."

"See? That's the main reason why girls don't fall for you," Arme jested, snickering devilishly afterwards. "You better start looking around for a certain someone brother! You might turn seventy-five and still be a loner. There are lots of girls out there!"

Lass smiled humorlessly, laying his hand on his sister's shoulder. "Since when did you become my conscience?"

"So you actually have a conscience?" Arme questioned, raising a brow.

"Didn't have one until now," Lass replied as he turned around and walked towards the window. "Grandpa, you've been very mute lately. Aren't you supposed to say something to my _ugly_ sister?"

"Hey!" Arme yelled throwing her brother a pillow which soundlessly bounced off his head once it hit him. The boy still paid her no heed and stared out the window, watching nurses walking around and patients being driven inside.

"I would have preferred to stay silent, but is it okay to ask a few questions regarding school next month, mistress?" The old man asked, looking at Arme.

"Interrogation won't hurt," Arme replied, staring daggers at her brother who, in return, ignored her by counting the number of people outside. "By the way, brother needs to go to a mental hospital. I swear he's suffering from autism."

Lass looked at the not-so-innocent girl and picked up the pillow from earlier, throwing it back at her.

"Mistress," the butler intervened so as to prevent another pillow fight. "Your friends called earlier. They won't be enrolling in the same school this year. They said they'd meet up with you in the amusement park tomorrow to discuss a few… issues. Some of your brother's comrades are coming as well…"

"Brother has friends?" Arme asked as if she had heard the biggest lie ever.

"Even if I'm like this, I still have friends, idiot," Lass responded in annoyance.

"Anyway, could I get out of this place by tomorrow? I want to see them—my classmates I mean," Arme questioned, eagerly.

"It would have been possible," The butler said with a smile. "But unfortunately, that sprain of yours granted you three more days in this ward."


	4. A twisty road to nowhere

"You're bored"

"No..."

"You haven't done anything for two hours."

"I can deal with it."

"Aren't you going to ask me if I'm bored?"

"That's not necessary"

"Why?"

Lass stared at his sister intently. He was sitting beside her, playing with the strands of her short, periwinkle hair. He knew she was waiting for an answer. It was the main part of their useless, if not pathetic, discussions. And when it comes to her questions, she always wanted a reasonable answer.

"You're never bored," he replied as he retracted his hand and rested it on his side. "For one thing, there's never a loose bolt in you. You don't break down no matter how broken you are."

"What do you mean, brother?" Arme asked; reaching for his right hand – the one he was using to stroke her hair earlier.

Lass chuckled humorlessly. "Remember that incident seven years ago, when we were in the amusement park - the one where you wanted to meet up with your friends?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Arme asked, carefully lacing her fingers through her brother's.

"It was a pretty boring place, if you ask me," Lass said without bothering to look at Arme. "Well, at least it was until you got lost.

"Grandpa and I searched the whole park for you. We practically turned the whole place upside down. We asked the vendors… the people in the arcade… the workers operating the rides. We even rode the Ferris wheel in hopes of spotting you from the top."

"Well that's embarrassing." Arme rolled her eyes.

"It would have been if the people didn't know we were searching for you."

"But why didn't they help me when they saw me?"

"Because when they asked you if you were lost, you would point to one direction and say that you've found us and that we were there waiting for you."

"I was _that_ hopeful?"

"No. You weren't hopeful. You were sure. Heck, you were so sure of yourself that even when you're lost, you thought you knew where to find us. I'm not certain whether to consider the event a miracle or not, but I remember being relaxed and happy when I saw you running towards us when we got out of the Ferris wheel. I found it amusing that for a person with low metabolism, you didn't fall. You kept on walking around without a care in the world. Grandpa cried real hard that evening. He didn't know what he'd do if you'd go missing. "

"I caused that much trouble?" Arme muttered to herself.

"I wouldn't call it 'trouble'. Grandpa was very proud of you. You followed your instincts," Lass said, ruffling her hair with his free hand.

"Were you angry?" She asked, looking at her brother with eyes that brimmed with curiosity.

"I just said I was happy didn't I?" he retorted, standing up. "But I don't want such incidents to happen again, Arme. You know what'd happen to Grandpa if he gets too depressed. He'd—"

"Die of stroke, I know," Arme stated, half worried and half contemplating. "I don't know what I'd do if we lose Grandpa."

"You'll cry," Lass replied, sounding as if he hated the topic they had brought up. "It's a part of your instincts to cry."

"I hate crying," Arme said, tears rolling down her cheeks so suddenly. "I HATE CRYING! I HATE IT! I HATE IT!"

"Hey wait. There's no reason to cry," Lass said emotionlessly as he wiped a few tears away.

"But I want to cry! Because you told me I will cry if Grandpa died! Now I don't want these tears around when his funeral comes, I would smile like he told me to do!" Arme wailed, using her knuckles to wipe her tears.

"Hey, don't talk about the dying if the person is still living," a voice interjected, its source being the old butler, standing at the doorway.

"Sorry Grandpa," the siblings said in unison as the man limped towards the bed with a book in tow. The object was brown, and judging by the way it was decorated, it was a scrapbook. The cover was purple with splotches of blue water color. Scrapping stickers adorned the edges, ending right where a small ribbon was placed. It was a beautiful work. No one would have guessed it was done by a five-year-old.

"Perfect timing, grandpa. Brother was telling me an ancient tale about a girl who got lost in an underland of some sorts," Arme said, fiddling with the hem of her bed sheet and knowing that her brother would kill her if the butler had misinterpreted her statement. She wiped one last tear away before staring at the book he held.

"Well, Lass. I didn't know you read Alice in Wonderland," the butler smiled as he gave the book to Arme. The girl smiled, one that signaled glee, triumph and desperation – desperation to find a shield from her brother. Looking over at the said person, she noticed a sudden change in the expression on his face—it was a bit of shock, and another which she couldn't read— as he stared at what she held.

Ignoring him, she opened the book cautiously, hoping not to ruin the little ribbon on the front, and then with enthusiasm, she flipped to a page in the middle of the book, gasping in wonder when she found what she was looking for.

Although dead, the leaf she had kept for years as a sign of her brother's homecoming was still there. Even if their parents wouldn't be able to see it, it was still something she treasured. She didn't touch the leaf, but she stared at it with large purple eyes which were now brimming with joy. Holding the book out for her brother to see, she said, "Brother, it's still here!"

"Why wouldn't it be?" He asked, seemingly uninterested in the object.

"Well, I thought either you or grandpa had thrown it away years ago," she explained, still holding out the book. "Aren't you glad it's still here?"

"It's dead."

"I know brother, but—"

"Arme, it's dead. You should throw it away."

Upon hearing her brother's reply, the girl shut the book and abruptly gave him a smack on the face.

"Arme!" The butler cried out, as he held back another hand which was still aimed for the boy's cheek. "Arme, that's enough. It's just a lea—"

"So what if it's dead? Just because our parents are actually dead doesn't mean you should act like that. I know I shouldn't have been angry once you and grandpa told me the truth about them but—"

Lass shot up. "But what, Arme? You called me an outcast. You told me that I wasn't meant to be in your home in the first place. Recalling everything you said, maybe you're right. Maybe I _am_ an outcast! Maybe—"

"Lass! Arme!" The butler practically yelled this time, causing the two teens to sink back on their positions. "Arme, your brother…. I know…" he sighed. "Never mind… Lass. We need to talk again."

* * *

"You nearly gave yourself away again. It's the second time today too," the butler stated, sighing with relief. They now stood on the rooftop of the hospital, staring down at the number of buildings which stretched on for as far as they could see.

"I know. It's just that hearing her say the same things my parents said really… upsets me," Lass replied, his head hanging down as he tried to recompose himself

"Get used to it Lass. Arme… she loves you like you're—"

"She loves me like I'm her brother. Only as a brother," Lass snapped, looking at the butler with a rather cold expression.

"At least suppress your feelings for her until the truth is revealed—"

"When the right time comes? How will the truth come out anyway? Accidentally? Intentionally? It's getting tougher for me, grandpa. How could I suppress my feelings when they're already there? All that's left is for them to overcome me and I'd end up doing something really stupid."

"You won't do stupid things Lass."

"What if she doesn't know I'm not her brother and I 'accidentally' kiss her? What would I do then? Pretend that nothing happened?"

"She doesn't share the same feelings you do, Lass."

"And that fact is meant to make things easier?"

"Yes."

There was a sudden pause before Lass looked up. "You know what, grandpa. You're pretty selfish too sometimes. It's not good. I swear you'd live to regret what you've started."

And with that said, Lass stormed back into the building, leaving the old man with a blank expression on his face.

* * *

This is late, but I was too lazy to update this darn story. School's been wearing me out lately. I'm off to bed now. Good night. Oh and there's a cookie in the fridge for anyone who reviews.


	5. Knowing the inevitable

Arme and Lass watched the next two days pass by so briskly that it was almost hard to believe. The aforementioned girl could already taste her own freedom the night before, and it boosted her excitement to an extent that it affected her enthusiasm - one that was bent on getting home and sticking her nose in a book for who knows how long? Her brother, on the other hand, was upset about the whole ordeal, seeing that the once bed-ridden girl was so caught up in her liberty that she'd probably rant about it for days. He'd better buy a pair of mufflers - and a door with a really good lock for his bedroom.

Arme was still asleep when she was discharged from the hospital, and Lass had to carry her all the way to the car. The butler suggested putting her on a wheelchair knowing that the girl was slightly heavier than she looked. Not only a few minutes ago, Lass gingerly lifted her off the bed with his own hands and supported her weight all the way to the parking lot where a black Porsche was waiting. He stared at the car for a moment, mouth slightly agape as if to ask where the hell the vehicle came from. It took a few minutes for the butler to explain that the girl's uncle had bought the car for her as a "Get well soon" gift. The short discussion was enough for the boy to ignore his sister's tightened grip on his shirt. Sure enough, he had to sit at the back of the car with her in his arms, watching her as their butler drove them home.

It should have been a short ride, but the fact that he was practically holding someone so dear to him made minutes seem like hours. He stared at her sleeping face, glancing once in a while at the front of the car where the butler was currently seated, eyebrows knitted in frustration when they got stuck in a traffic jam.

"Looks like it'll take minutes before this clears up," the man explained to himself without bothering to stare at the rear-view mirror.

Lass saw this as a small chance and kissed the girl on her right cheek, his lips curving into a smile as he pulled back. She snuggled closer to him and he decided to give her one more, this time on her left. He sat up forcefully when he heard the butler scoff as a sign that one was enough.

"You're quite the opportunity seeker, boy," The man commented, his back leaning against his seat as his hands tightened around the steering wheel. "But I'm not supposed to be against your hardheadedness. She's your responsibility from now on. However, I recon you'd have to start watching over yourself a little more starting today too. Putting you in charge could lead to so many... unexpected things."

"I love my sister, grandpa. Nothing's gonna change that," The boy retorted, pressing his lips on the girl's forehead for a few good seconds before pulling back with a smirk. "I've tried really hard all these years. You should appreciate all the effort I've put in the role you've given me."

"Are you threatening me, boy?" The butler hissed as the car pushed forward in the slightest. "I'm not in the mood for a long debate, child. As you can see, we're in the middle of a traffic jam, and I'm high of blood."

Lass bit back his anger and shut his eyes for a brief moment, wrapping his arms around his sister and pulling her closer. The girl's eyes shot open when he did this, and even if he was her brother, the action made her blush defiantly. This was explainable, after all, she was in a middle of a very nice dream and that involved someone who definitely wasn't her relative. An old flame, perhaps... Anyway, Arme pushed herself off her brother, and gasped when his hold of her tightened even more. "You're really warm for someone who's just gotten out of the hospital," he said, one eye popping open as he stared down at her, his lips fixed into a smirk that would've stolen any girl's heart.

"Brother, this is embarrassing!" Arme cried as she attempted to pry herself out of her grasp. Knowing there was no other option, the girl took a deep breath and bit her brother's arm so hard, he instinctively pulled back with a yelp. Hearing the sound of her brother's cry made her laugh so hard that tears started to form on the corners of her eyes. She only stopped when he gave her a death glare - one that meant he'd have to deal with her in a very harsh way later.

"No fighting kids. And Lass, you'd have to apologize for what you did earlier. It wasn't _funny_..." The butler said humorlessly as the car made its way out of the traffic jam. Arme would've laughed some more at his sudden remark and her brother's conditional apology, but the serious aura they gave off made her think it wasn't a good idea. And for the first time, she was afraid for the both of them...

Something was definitely wrong with this picture...

* * *

"Brother, is there a problem? What did I miss? Did something happen earlier while I was asleep?" Arme kept asking questions Lass couldn't answer truthfully, and although she knew he refused to talk much, she was quite surprised when he provided with a few simple answers like, "Yes", "Nothing" and "Something that doesn't concern you."

Arme fell completely silent afterward. This wasn't a part of her brother's usual "act-like-an-ignoramus-even-if-you-aren't-one" demeanor. Whenever she'd ask a question, he'd still give her an answer... a proper, well-detailed one, even if he wasn't in the mood to talk. She knew by then that there was a problem, and there was no doubt it concerned her too. It was highly evident in his eyes. He was staring at her like she was a questionnaire he couldn't answer. Like a math test he would fail, hands down. But he didn't even fail her as her brother... Not even once.

So why would he act or think that way? Or better yet, why would he look at her that way? Was she already failing him as a sister?

Arme shook her head at the thought and tilted her head upwards. Her brother was already gone. Probably locking himself up in his room before she could even complain about how long her days in that wretched hospital were... Now that she thought of it, her brother and the butler would often argue about something behind her back. They'd always exit the room when they'd want to talk about it. Looks like she'd have to ask about their arguments too...

Arme ran towards her brother's bedroom with a mind flowing with questions that needed to be answered right-away. She nearly slipped on the staircase on her way there, but that wasn't a problem. She was good at stabilizing herself when her curiosity sparked. She gulped when she was a few feet away from her brother's room - the absence of a door made it easier for her to enter the place, but she wasn't sure if she was allowed to do so if her brother wasn't there at all.

She moved closer and sighed in relief when she found him on his bed, his hands crossed behind his head which was tilted upwards so that he was staring at the ceiling. Arme blushed, seeing that he was shirtless - his figure illuminated and accented by the moon light. But there was absolutely no reason to blush right? After all, he was her brother.

Lass shot a wary glance at her causing her heart to skip a beat, but she simply dismissed the reaction as a cause of nervousness. She moved closer to him and switched on the lights, watching as he blinked furiously at the sudden brightness.

"Sorry," she mumbled, sitting next to him.

"What do you want from me this time?" He asked, sapphire eyes boring into her amethyst ones. He got no reaction from her - just the usual semi-friendly glow her eyes cast on him every single day.

"You... I wanted to ask you a question..." She muttered to him, looking away.

He snorted in reply, which she thought was a gesture of approval. She continued, "Grandpa told us he's not feeling well, so I decided to come to you instead. Did you two fight?"

"No."

"Come on brother, you always give me a proper answer! I n-"

Arme stopped midway, her enthusiasm wearing off as a pair of hands pulled her onto the bed, pinning her. Looking up, Arme gasped seeing that her face was so close to her brother's.

"Brother?" Arme mumbled, trying to pull back for space.

"It's always about you... All this fighting... Just for you..." He whispered, staring down at her as his breath grazed her cheeks. "Are you scared of me now, Arme? I've been trying to hold myself back for nine years. Nine years of pretense." Arme tried to open her mouth to respond, but he continued before she could even say a thing. "I love you so much Arme. It's starting to hurt me more than I expected it to... Sometimes... I just wish I didn't get to know you... Or that you didn't see me as your brother in the first place. I would have fallen for you without restrictions... without people protesting against it."

"Brother..." Arme started, but she didn't continue on. Her brother's lips were already firmly pressed against hers, preventing her from conversing with him. Her eyes widened for a moment before closing ever so slowly as she felt his hands pulling her up so that they were both on a sitting position. It was uncomfortable yet it left a tight feeling in her chest that made her want more. Lass pressed further, urging her to kiss him back, and she did. It would have gone on longer if not for the sudden realization that Arme was kissing her _own_ brother hit her so hard it broke her heart.

She pushed him back with all the strength she could muster, jumped off the bed and ran to her room, tears streaking down her cheeks. Her very _first_ kiss... stolen by her own brother... her one family...

And in a mad sense of irony, she _loved_ it, no matter how much it hurt her inside.

* * *

A/N: This is the part where I introduce myself right? I'm Rialey (Pronounced RAIALEE). I'm the new mitsukai-kanashimi. I hope I leave a good first impression on you guys since I am nothing like the previous mitsukai-kanashimi. But I'm still friendly. And I'm also a LassxArme fan. By the way, I'm collaborating with a bunch of students who happen to be LxA fans too. We're all working on a website for LassxArme fans.

Lassxarme. webs .com

That's all. xD

-Rialey.


	6. Remembering

Arme sat at the corner of her room, wiping away her tears and brushing the strands of purple hair that had clung unto her cheek. How many hours had passed? She didn't know. She only remembered that unconditional lip-lock with her brother, and that didn't do her good. She tried to stand up... to rid herself of the memory... but the more she did so, the more the moment played itself in her head. She was definitely in no position to recompose herself. She wanted to wake up and discover it was all just a dream, but even that desire hurt her to an extent that she was thankful the kiss happened. She was definitely going crazy.

The girl mentally smacked herself for being so biased on things. It was only an innocent kiss...

"Not really," Arme whispered to herself as she pulled her knees up to her chest. She could hear the grandfather clock downstairs, chiming away. It was twelve o'clock and she still didn't have the courage to sleep, fear lest she'd end up dreaming about the moment. She looked up subsequently, her eyes darting to the small window to her left. Outside was an eye-catching sight - the stars were very visible against the pitch-black sky. She sighed, reminiscing the times when she and her brother would sit on the roof top, identifying constellations and even creating new ones. Again, her mind darted back to the kiss and her face reddened with embarrassment. She pinched herself, begging the gods to wake her up, but nothing happened much to her dismay.

She heard a few thumps from the next room and figured that Lass -her brother- was still awake, trying to forget what happened as well. She inhaled as much air as she could and exhaled in an attempt to calm her senses down. What if she talked to him? To know why he did what he did? She shook her head. She had the answer already. Besides, she didn't even have the strength to look at him.

_I could always try..._, she thought to herself, her eyes fixed on the door. Slowly she stood up, her socks rubbing against the carpet. She felt so heavy all of a sudden and she knew she would fall asleep soon. She mentally fought with her brain, telling it to stay awake. She blinked furiously and reached for the door knob with her right hand, but the door swerved open before she could do so. Her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed red so she was forced to look away, seeing that Lass stood in front of her, looking like he did earlier.

"You were crying..." he said, his voice hinting a bit of worry and disappointment.

Arme willed her tears to stay where they were, but they didn't listen. They eventually poured out the corners of her eyes, streaking her cheeks. She choked back her sobs but that didn't work either. She looked down. She didn't want her brother to see her like this. Perhaps, he didn't either.

Lass stared at his sister and fought back the need to comfort her... to touch her. He was scared of breaking her down to even smaller pieces. He looked at her, watching as she wiped away tear after tear. He wanted to lean closer to her and kiss the tears away, but he couldn't.

"I'm sorry," he whispered before turning around to walk back to his room. He hadn't even taken a step when he felt his sister's hand wrap around his.

"Brother..." she murmured, her voice shaking. "Don't leave me..."

Lass' emotions welled up inside of him - restraint, lust, worry, fear. He glanced back at his sister, who was still wiping the corners of her eyes. One stray tear was all it took for him to turn around and pull her close, his lips pressing against her cheek, tracing up to her forehead. Arme bit back the surge of excitement she felt when his fingers laced around her neck. Her mind was spinning once again. She was so confused.

Lass pulled back for a moment and peered into his sister's eyes. Then all barriers restraining him broke loose. He kissed her lips and pulled her even closer, his arms wrapping around her possessively. He didn't ask for her response, but when she kissed him back, he still didn't feel content. He stepped forward and continued on until she was squeezed in-between him and the wall of her room.

Arme couldn't register what was happening. She only felt her brother's lips on hers... on her ear... her neck. She pushed him back, knowing he was going too far and mentally kicked herself for complying with him. Lass simply lowered his head in shame. He shouldn't have done that...

Sensing his embarrassment, Arme reached out for her brother's shoulder, but he raised his hands in front of him as if she were about to kill him.

"Don't touch me," he said, looking down at her. Before Arme could take a step forward, she felt her fatigue winning her over. She fell face first unto her brother's chest, and fell deeply asleep, her arms caging his neck.

Lass thought he was caught in a death grip. His sister's hands were wrapped around him as if her life depended on it... but she wasn't even conscious! He did a mental debate on whether he should put her on the bed and sleep next to her or just look for a chair and wait for Arme to wake up almost eight hours from now. He grimaced at the thought, knowing how uncomfortable the two options would be. He slowly laid Arme on her bed and tried to pry his neck off her hold. She groaned and pulled him even closer, his chin pressing against the crown of her head. Looks like option one would be the only choice she'd give him. Smiling, he locked her in a tight embrace, closed his eyes and fell asleep.

When morning came, everything seemed like the usual, until a certain butler found something that was rather intriguing. He almost panicked at the sight of Lass' empty room, which was completely out-of-shape once more. His first guess was that the boy had managed to sneak out of the house in the middle of the night. He knew that Lass was very capable of such things, after all, he was the son of two assassins. He searched every area possible and didn't even bother noticing that the door to his mistress' bedroom had been left wide open. After he had searched almost every nook and cranny in the house, the old man decided to give up. He was only about to wake up his mistress when he found her and her brother clambering down the stairs, eyes half-closed.

"Where did you come from, boy?" The butler asked Lass as one of his eyebrows arched upwards.

Lass wanted to reply and shot a glance at his sister who was staring at him in return, causing them to turn their heads to the opposite direction, both completely and utterly speechless.

The butler cleared his throat and added, "I was asking you a question."

"Why do you need to know?" Lass replied, suddenly noticing that his fingers were laced around his sister's. He quickly let go of her hand, missing the warmth she gave off only then. The butler didn't want to question the boy any further after observing the sudden change in his mistress' demeanor.

"I was worried," the butler retorted with a frown. "By the way, the mistress' old flame is coming for a visit."

"Old flame?" Arme stated, her head rising instantly. "Who do you mean?"

"I mean Sir Ronan Erudon. He wants to discuss some... matters of some sort with you..." He said in a business-like manner, lifting his arm to read the time in his wrist-watch. "He'll be here in an hour."

Arme couldn't find the courage to speak. Deep inside, she still liked Ronan. She liked him so much that she could feign happiness just for him. Unfortunately... her feelings for her brother seemed to rival what she felt for the guy.

Sure, Ronan was a gentleman. He's been loyal to all the girls he has dated. But for some reason, his relationships never last long. The girl would say those three precious words to him one day, and break up with him the next. Arme had confessed her love for him already, but she was rejected right-away because of some stupid girl who was "better" than she was. She then swore out loud that she'd wait for him, no matter how long it takes. Arme cursed herself mentally, realizing how foolish she was.

Lass grimaced at his sister's mortified expression. It was as if her heart -the one he was still working hard to mend- was forming cracks. It might even break soon.

* * *

**xDD Whew. I haven't updated this in weeks... *goes of to blame the school projects*. Had to edit this twice. Here's a cookie for reading!  
**


	7. The Visitor

The butler had told Lass to escort his sister all the way to the underground library located just below the tool shed at the back of the manor. He decided that the girl needed some quality time with her thoughts, seeing that she was greatly awestruck by the sudden turn of events. But whether or not it was a good idea to let Lass lead the way, he wasn't sure. The underground library consisted of many things that could bring back the past - and an onset of questions that could make the boy blurt out their secret. Although that was only quarterly possible...

Lass was alert, if not careful, but the very knowledge that the boy was in love with the mistress was more than enough of a reason to reveal the truth. The butler couldn't count the number of times the boy had insisted on unveiling the fact that he was neither her brother nor a blood relative. He just stumbled upon a cozy little house which happened to be _her_ home. All of a sudden, she became his sister and he became her brother. They became the talk of the neighborhood - as siblings, of course. Then, putting his role as her brother not too far aside, he fell in love with her. But knowing how much of a disappointment it would be for the butler, he continued his act... And with each passing year, his role became harder for him to play. The butler choked back the sudden realization that yesterday, the boy might have decided to stop pretending.

Seeing them at the staircase earlier, hand-in-hand as if they were a married couple, the butler couldn't help but feel at a loss for words. They looked like they were meant for each other... like they were supposed to be together... Like puzzle pieces that have been fixed to form a very perfect picture. But in the butler's case, they were too perfect, and perfection would hinder him from getting anywhere. The butler had told Lass that they would change positions once old age gets the best of him - like Lass was the one using him to get to his position, and that the butler had let himself be used. He knew for a fact that it was the biggest lie that had ever escaped his lips. Truth be told, it was the other way around. The butler had plans... Plans that couldn't be foiled no matter what happens. He was the user... Lass was simply the bait... And Arme... Poor, clueless Arme was the target.

* * *

Albums... old pictures... love letters from decades ago... Useless but memorable things that looked like they've been buried out of a time capsule... Things that littered the floor and surrounded the sofa Arme and Lass were sitting on as they dug out more photos from a small, old trunk which they found in one corner of the room. They had hidden the object there when they were kids for the fun of finding it when they were a lot older. Arme remembered having a lot of fun as she tried to take pictures of her brother who had made numerous attempts to hide from her. She'd chance upon him on a tree which was too high for her to climb, or on the roof top of the mansion where she wouldn't consider to reach. She succeeded in taking a photo of him sitting there though, and it became one of the seven images in the trunk.

Arme grabbed a really old photo of her parents - _their_ parents - standing side by side in front of the manor. Her mother cradled a baby in her arms as she stared and smiled warmly at the camera. Arme wasn't sure whether the baby was really her because it was heavily wrapped in a white blanket. Lass, on the other hand, knew for a fact that it _was_, considering that he isn't even a part of their family. He just stared at the picture emotionlessly as his sister commented on how awesome her parents - which she emphasized as _theirs _- were. He suddenly wondered why and how she'd regained all that energy. He was pretty sure she'd lost them earlier due to the announcement.

"Ronan Erudon would be here any minute from now," he declared, spitting out the name 'Ronan' as if it disgusted him greatly. "Shouldn't you be dressed appropriately. I'm sure you wouldn't want him to see you in your nightgown."

Arme fell silent for a moment as she stared down at the picture which had been browned by time. "I don't care. So what if I'm he's coming? It's not like I still love him. Like Grandpa said, he's an old flame..."

"And he's still burning," Lass spat, looking to his left to avoid his sister's gaze.

Without warning, Arme stood up and kissed her brother on the cheek, causing him to jerk back against the sofa. Arme grinned triumphantly and propped herself back down before looking at her brother straight in the eyes in search of any emotion. He didn't look back at her, but he did touch his cheek as if to preserve the feel of her lips on his skin. He shrugged before he faced her and said, "What the hell did you do that for?"

"Sorry. I couldn't help it," Arme said with a smile as she continued to search for something interesting to talk about from inside the trunk. With a sigh, she gave up and let her hands drop to her side. "Why did we have to be siblings?"

"I've asked that question so many times, I've lost count," Lass said as he moved closer to her, although he still didn't have the courage to touch her for fear that the butler would come marching in any moment and remind both of them that they were related, although he knew how much of a lie that was. "Arme... Remember that time when you asked Gramps when mom and dad would return and he decided to tell you that they're never coming back? That they're both dead?"

"Yes. I told you that father sent you to another country because you weren't meant to be here."

"Yeah. Well, what if something like that happens again? And let's say the secret's different. Like, for example, I'm simply a stranger who's posing as your brother. What would you do?"

"You? Pretending as if we're related? I couldn't see how that would be possible. I mean, I insisted on running a DNA test on you to be sure..." Arme paused for a while as if the thought pained her. "No matter what happens, you're still my brother. It's who I've known you to be. If we're not related by blood, then we're related by soul. But... if you were simply lying to me all this time, then accepting the truth would be really... really hard." The girl paused once more, glancing at Lass. "I can't imagine you lying to me... I can't even imagine myself angry at you for pretending... Brother, you wouldn't lie to me, would you?..."

Lass fell silent as Arme stared back at him, waiting for an answer. Slowly, she began contemplating on why he'd ask her such a foreign question. Surely, he wouldn't be able to something like that, right? He would _never_ go as far as lying to her. Arme was forced to shake away her thoughts once she felt her brother's lips pressing against hers. For a moment, everything seemed alright. She could only feel her brother's hands around her, caressing her back as he deepened the kiss. Nothing could possibly disturb that moment. Even the loud footsteps echoing from the farthest corner of the library wouldn't have mattered, if not for the smooth, masculine voice that came along with it.

"Arme...?"

Ronan was somewhere on the other side of the room, beyond the bookshelves that had hidden them from the rest of the world.

_No... No... NO. Why now? _Arme thought, kissing her brother's forehead before jumping up hesitatingly. "H-He's here."

"You should go," Lass stated, observing her in a rather strange manner. Arme couldn't really put her finger on the look he was giving her. It was a mix of worry and possessiveness, and she knew those emotions don't usually go together.

Her face dropped for a moment as she took a cautious step closer to her brother and gave him a shy kiss on the lips before moving away from him, a smile adorning his features as she skipped into the main hallway.

* * *

Ronan didn't know what to expect. It's been a year since he last saw Arme, and he was very sure she had changed. She might have grown taller, or maybe she had decided to wear her hair long. She might even have matured a bit. Ronan shook his head. He really shouldn't expect much from a friend.

"Hi Ronan!" was the call he heard from the short, purple-haired girl who was running down the narrow hallway of the library. She was still wearing her nightgown, although she didn't seem to take note of this as she advanced on him and hugged him without notice. It seems he was wrong. She hadn't changed... However, her all-too-friendly hug seemed to affect him more than it did before.

"Looks like you're more than excited to see me," he said, "Why are you wearing your nightgown. Did you sleep here?"

"No," Arme replied, straight-forwardly. "But I'm here with my brother."

"Lass is here too?" Ronan asked, tilting his head upwards as if to search for the guy. "Where?"

"He's right behind you," Arme said, grinning widely as Ronan turned his head to face her brother who seemed very upset about his whereabouts being exposed.

"Good to see you again, Lass," the man said in a business-like manner as he held out his hand. Lass thought twice before reaching out and giving him a very awkward handshake.

Ronan smiled before letting his hand drop back down to his side, then he looked at Lass with a very serious expression,"I guess the least I could do is to act formally at a time like this, and seeing that you're the only member of her family that's closest to her, I feel it is your duty as her brother to grant me a simple request..." Ronan stepped forward, his face still fixed in the same expression as he continued on, "... I would like to ask for your sister's hand in marriage."

* * *

A/N: Okay... This chapter was a bit rushed... and the marriage thing... I don't even know how that happened. I'm also in the mood of killing someone named Yoon-Joo. But before he dies, you guys better thank him for inspiring me to write this chapter. Thanks to him, I didn't get an extra week of punishment - I'm on my second week now, which is exactly why the website has a new look..

lass x arme. webs. com

Yey! Although Class 3A forced me to do most of the work! Thanks to PrincessRubyRose for the Rin and Len-based fan art. I doubt she'd read this though. xP

Sorry for the late update, the typos (if there are any) and the grammatical errors too, especially in this chapter because, like I said a while ago, it was rushed.! T_T

-Rialey.


	8. The Trial

"...Like I've said, most of your family had agreed to the engagement, but I find it necessary to question your opinion," Ronan said while his listener stared daggers at him. Lass gritted his teeth in an attempt to fight back the urge to punch this guy. His conscience even goaded him to strike whatever it was in this so-called "gentleman"'s guts that had motivated him to say those words.

"...I've fallen in love with your sister, Lass," he continued, ignoring the infuriated flicker in the boy's eyes. "I've been thinking about her since..."

"Since she confessed to you?" Lass completed, disinterested. "You rejected her."

"Perhaps I did," Ronan agreed, casting his gaze downwards. "But she kept her hopes up. She promised me she'd wait for me."

Arme gulped. She didn't think he'd remember, and now that he was saying this in front of her brother, she wanted to oppose... to prove him wrong. But Ronan was wearing that sincere look on his face and she couldn't find it in herself to argue. She decided to stay quiet. Her brother would work things out for her... Hopefully.

"I, for one, know that Arme's the type who keeps her word," Ronan said, smiling at Arme as if he was sure of this. "That's why I've chosen her to be my bride."

Within seconds, Lass tried to aim a blow on Ronan's left cheek, but the boy immediately moved out of the way as if he knew what was coming. "A fight isn't going to get us anywhere, Lass," the indigo-haired boy stated with a slight chuckle. "If this is some kind of test, then it's completely useless."

"I'm not saying this is a test. I'm giving you a warning," Lass threatened as he swerved his foot upwards into an air-defying kick. "Get out of here before I kill you!"

Ronan chuckled as he shifted to the right, avoiding Lass' almost-fatal blow. "You know, I've been thinking about the time we'll have a rematch... Defeat is something I'm never gonna get used to. I haven't let you off my mind since the day you managed to break my arm. " Ronan lowered his head to avoid Lass' punch.

"How sweet of you," Lass retaliated, somersaulting to the nearest bookshelf and throwing all the large books at Ronan as quickly as he could. However, Ronan avoided each one with ease – as if to ask whether Lass had better actions in store for him or not. With his conscience knocking at the back of his mind, Lass shot a glance at Arme, but she was nowhere in sight. He called out for her, but she didn't answer. Looking back at where Ronan was standing, he gritted his teeth. The boy wasn't there either.

"You want a challenge, Ronan?" he yelled, his eyes burning with rage when he heard an almost inaudible yet familiar chuckle from the middle of the library. "I'll give you a memorable one", he stated before he jumped into the air and landed on top of the half-empty bookshelf. He heaved a sigh before he gazed onwards and began seeking for his sister.

* * *

Ronan ran through the library's narrow aisle with a smirk. The sound of his footsteps bounced on the walls, echoing everywhere. Moments after shuffling through the endless maze,a foreboding feeling that someone was watching him came, and he was forced to glance upwards. Sure enough, Lass was there, jumping from bookshelf to bookshelf with a grin on his face. Truthfully, that grin wasn't meant to mock him – rather, it was to intimidate him.

Lass dove downwards and aimed a kick on Ronan's back. The dark-haired boy immediately fell face-first on the ground due to the contact. He rolled over, watching as Lass stepped next to him. Ronan grinned triumphantly as he swerved his foot and knocked Lass out of his stance. The silver-haired lad fell backwards with a grunt, causing Ronan to snicker as he stood up. Without giving him much time to recover, he gave Lass a kick to the side and ran, searching for Arme at the even gaps between each shelf. A moment later, he felt something pull at his foot, and fell down.

"Remember to tie your shoelaces, idiot," Lass mocked before jumping in front of his rival and breaking into a run.

"Damn you," Ronan cursed, standing up and running as well. He immediately caught up to Lass and gave him a merciless blow to his shoulder.

Lass hissed as he held the area before jumping up to the top of another bookshelf and resting there. Ronan chuckled as he whizzed past his opponent. Lass simply gave out a defiant sigh before jumping down and resuming his pace.

"Hey Ronan!" He yelled at nobody at particular, allowing his somewhat proud and roguish character to take over him. "If you get to Arme first, then she's all yours!"

"Good," he heard someone shout from the farthest left.

* * *

"_Hey Ronan! If you get to Arme first, then she's all yours!"_

Arme couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her brother was actually putting her on the line – Like he was exchanging her for something better... or rather, using her for a stupid bet. Just what did he take her for?

Arme buried her face in her palms and began to cry as she positioned herself in one of the darkest corners in the library. Salty tears began to streak her cheeks as she attempted to refrain from sobbing. She bit back the urge to scream into the air or to call her brother an idiot particularly because she was afraid of being found.

Arme hugged her knees and hoped for the best. She buried her head in her lap while she contemplated on why this had to happen. Because in the first place, it couldn't have...

The Erudons despised her family greatly despite the fact that they are both of the same pedigree. Arme knew fully well that this sort of circumstance had something to do with the family's history. The Erudon clan had once attempted to infiltrate her great grandmother's company. However, with help from all the people under her rule, she managed to fight back. When the Erudon clan decided to take things to a whole new level and strike from the top, Arme's great grandmother gave up her life to relieve her off the stress the opposing clan had bestowed on her. Both families ended up with nothing but a continuous line of heirs and heiresses... and an everlasting hatred for each other... Well, that was until she came along and fell for the Erudon's youngest member.

The Erudons might've agreed to the boy's proposal because they wanted to buy back the chance their ancestors had given them. They may be wide aware that she'd give him a positive answer. Once the marriage is over, they'll simply kill her, then they'd get what they want.

"_Most of your family have agreed to the engagement..."_

_Perhaps another purpose is to reconcile..._ Arme thought to herself, holding her knees closer to her.

"Arme! There you are!" A familiar voice called up to her. Arme's eyes widened, her mouth agape as she stood up and wiped her tears.

"I've been looking everywhere for you," Ronan stated, offering his right hand for her to take. "Your brother's lost somewhere in this library. It's quite vast for a personal reading place..."

Arme nodded her head sadly, and took his hand, watching him as he turned around. Arme's eyes widened once more when she realized her brother was right behind him, staring at the both of them with an expression that seemed to say, "It's for the best..."

"Brother..." Arme breathed and ran to Lass, wrapping him in a tight hug. "I don't want to get married brother... I don't want to..."

"Arme..." She heard him whisper in her ear. "I don't want you to either but... I lost."

Arme eyed her brother in search of any emotion before she started moving away, her back crashing into Ronan's chest. Arme gasped and stepped forward in the slightest, but her clumsiness got the best of her. She instantly slipped, however, Ronan caught her by the shoulders just before she could hit the floor, shocking her a little.

"You're agreeing?" Ronan asked formally, his hands roaming from Arme's shoulders to her waist.

Arme looked up into her brother's eyes, hoping for a negative reply.

Lass was silent at first. Then he sighed, staring straight into his sister's wishful eyes, and blankly retorted, "Yes."

* * *

The butler heard everything... every single word... and he celebrated.

"The wedding's continued," he murmured into the telephone he was holding. "How many workers have invaded the company's units?"

"21," the voice in the phone replied. "His mother is also inside the building right now, but she's clueless on what to do. You'd better come here to stop her blabbing. I'm sick of it."

"Don't worry, Kaze'Aaze," the butler whispered, reassuringly. "I'll send Lass over there tomorrow, or maybe the day after that. It's about time you teach him the lesson he's supposed to learn years ago."

A manical laugh erupted from inside the phone, "That boy's gonna be one hell of an apprentice. Good job, Gardosen..."

Gardosen threw the phone to one corner and chuckled to himself. "Well, my dear Arme... Let's see how smart you are..."

* * *

A/N: Sorry guys... I haven't updated this for a loooooong time. Oh... by the way, apology accepted Class 3A. But don't do that again. I'll kill one of you once I go through the same situation the second time around.

It's been a long time since I've written a story so there might be loads of grammatical errors in this chapter. Anyway, thanks for reading! Oh... and I have no idea how Gardosen became the butler... Haruna told me that it must be one of the villains in grand chase... and he was the first thing that popped into my mind.

-Rialey.


	9. The Disappearance

Lass was standing in front of a very dilapidated warehouse, looking like a really tired crow who had just finished a hundred meter race on foot. He felt tired, dizzy, and most of all, shocked. He wasn't supposed to be standing there. Last time he checked, he was supposed to be taking a train to the business district to fix the problems gramps had given him.

He knocked his head twice and closed his eyes to purge the hallucination, but when he opened his eyes once more, he was more than dismayed to see the building still standing there as if it was mocking him. He shook his head and fell backward, still staring in silence, shaking violently. Then, as fast as his mind could register, his parents and their accomplices were standing in front of him.

His mother, being the one with the strongest initiative to step forward, closed in on him and wrapped her arms around him as if to comfort him.

"Welcome back, son."

* * *

"Brother?" a gentle voice spoke.

"A...rme," Lass managed to mutter in his infirm condition.

He sat up, taking in the features of where he was and who was there with him. He sighed, thanking the heavens that he wasn't in a hospital. He was also more than gratified to see that he was only dreaming of the past that had haunted him so frequently... He turned his head towards Arme and gave a heavy grimace when he caught sight of the ring she was wearing.

_14 carats, huh? That jerk knows where to put his money..._

"Brother, you fainted," she said, reaching out to touch his forehead. "Ronan had left about half an hour ago. He said that you might have worn yourself out because of the fight. I wanted to call the hospital and send for an ambulance right away but he told me not to bother."

"Hah... The moron wants me dead, eh?" Lass said, leaning back on the headboard of what he now discovered was Arme's bed. "He could've killed me when he had the chance. That stupid bastard..."

"Brother, Ronan's nicer once you get to know him. You might even be as close as brothers if you'd spend more time with each other," Arme told him with wide eyes that seemed to reflect as much seriousness as her words.

"Arme, he took you away from me," Lass stated, gesturing towards himself.

"He didn't take anything from you brother. You gave me away," Arme said, sitting beside him and leaning forward to press their foreheads together. "But maybe... It's for the best. After all, we can't be together no matter what."

Lass tilted his head downwards, looking defeated and lost. Arme was right. They could never be together, no matter how many times he'd want to change things. He envisioned himself looking at Arme, perfectly dressed in white, walking down the aisle towards the person whom she would spend the rest of her life with. Sadly, that person wasn't him.

"Brother?" Arme whispered, still holding her head against him.

"I'm sorry, Arme," Lass muttered back, cupping her cheeks and pushing her away slightly.

Arme wrapped her arms around his neck, signaling that she had no intention of pulling back. She drew closer and embraced her brother as tightly as she could. To Lass, she was behaving like a child who had finally gotten the teddy bear she's been dying to buy for a really long time. She smiled when he hugged her back with extreme possessiveness. Like her, he didn't want to let go. Then, as gentle as the warm embrace, he pulled back and kissed her in earnest. Their lips melded together with passion that would've radiated through the whole room...

* * *

"What could be taking him so long?" Gardosen* asked himself just as he was starting to get impatient and scared. He had given out his order clearly, and Lass wasn't the person who would disobey him – unless Arme got in the way.

"I knew that the engagement and the invasion shouldn't have happened on the same day!" he yelled, his voice sounding gnarled. He reached for the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out his cellphone. He was just about to dial the number of the house's land-line when a voice interrupted him.

"Stop complaining, it was your idea in the first place."

A rather brawny-looking man who Gardosen identified as Dio stood out among the shadows, creating a rather intimidating aura. Beside him was a woman who seemed to have no interest in what was happening. She was slim and ostensibly hardhearted. Any man would have wanted to abuse her in every possible way. Gardosen identified her as Ley – a newcomer to their dark, underground organization.

"What's your business with me Dio?" Gardosen asked, somewhat pissed off by the presence of his "rival in position".

"Nothing important – to you," Dio retorted with a half-smirk. "KazeAaze told me she's not satisfied with your work. She gave me a firm order to kill you, sir. I couldn't help but accept her offer. After all, an apprentice's greatest achievement... would be to outwit their own master."

Gardosen's eyes widened as he took a shaky step backward. He tried to break into a run and dropped his phone in the process. He didn't know that Dio was one of the fast ones...

Lass had Arme trapped underneath him as he traced his lips against her collarbone. He licked her neck, ear and cheeks, savoring the taste of her skin. He was acting like an animal that had gone loose but he didn't care. He let his whole body take full control of him. Arme's soft moans gave him more motivation. His right hand rose up to touch Arme's soft lips before he smashed against them with his own once more. He was just about to pull her top off when the phone downstairs began to ring, hence bringing the both of them back to fierce reality.

"Damn it," Lass cursed under his breath while jumping off the bed. "Wait here."

He dashed out of the room and down the steps to grab the telephone and respond with a halfhearted "hello".

Nobody seemed to hear him. But he could make out some weird noises in the background – what sounded a lot like a pack of dogs barking and someone being attacked.

_The butler..._

Lass felt guilt creeping over him. He was suddenly oblivious to what was happening around him. He glanced up the stairs where Arme was looking at him with great concern. He gave her a dismissive nod before heading towards the door. With both fear and determination inside him, he turned the knob and walked outside. After he's done assisting the old manservant, he'll never set foot in Arme's house again.

Lass was running on the pavement, hoping that he wouldn't arrive a second too late. Judging from the frantic screams he had heard, the butler was in real pain... and he definitely couldn't afford finding him dead. He's had far enough of seeing dead people.

He made a swift turn towards the nearest intersection which lead to the train station, knowing that he was running out of time. Before he could reach the steps leading to the platform, however, someone came in his way and drove a hard punch to his stomach. Lass staggered before falling down, face first. He looked up and saw a rather attractive woman slightly older than him. He shouldn't have cared, if not for the fact that she looked astoundingly familiar.

She delivered a kick to his shin, ignoring the pitiful and pained expression on his face. She gave him another kick to the stomach and watched as blood oozed out from his lips. _He's as frail as a stack of old and broken bones. Why would KazeAaze need someone like him? _Angered by the thought, she gave him three more kicks to the side of his body and waited for him to respond. He simply stayed silent.

"The mistress said not to kill him," a burly young man told her, looking at Lass with quiet and observant eyes.

"But he's a weakling. What use would she have for him?" the woman objected, appearing rather irritated.

"Trust me, there would be tons..."

Lass had wanted to hear every detail of their discussion so bad, but his senses were shouting otherwise. His vision was dimming and it wasn't long before everything faded into shrill darkness...

"Get the lady! The man's already dead..."

_Footsteps. Hundreds of them. _

"Sir! There's a kid inside the car!"

"Kill him too..."

_Sirens blowing. A cold scream._

"Sir! One officer has shot the female accomplice!"

"Good."

_A million tears waiting to be shed. A figure creeping slowly into the night._

"Where's the child? Someone should've gotten a hold of him by now! He's as dangerous a criminal as those other two..."

_A child with no destination, looking for a place to go..._

* * *

Lass awoke with a jolt in a strikingly foreign place. He had no memory of who he was and what he was doing there. He scanned the area for a sign of movement... of _someone. _ He was like a farmer looking for a needle in a haystack. He dropped back down to where he was lying, taking in the fact that he had been laid on a decrepit table, and that there was no one else around him. Feeling his only medium of support losing stability, he jumped off. He even made it in time to see the table collapse in front of him. If he had let his laziness take full control of him at the last second, then he would surely have to experience twice the pain he had now. Why was he in pain anyway?

Questions flooded his head like a thousand rivers carrying water all the way to the sea. In this case, he was the sea... a very small one at that. He couldn't possibly grasp and answer his questions by himself.

"_Anata wa nani o oboeteru ka_?" A smooth, feminine voice asked him. Not knowing and understanding a single thing the person said, he turned around and searched everywhere, giving the speaker an intense, puzzled expression.

"Ahem, pardon. I meant, do you remember anything?" The same feminine voice stated.

Lass shook his head.

"Good," the speaker said before stepping in front of him so that he could take in her features. "My name is KazeAaze... You will follow my orders from now on. You are to place your loyalty to me, and me alone. Understood?"

KazeAaze stood at about 6 feet tall, and she had a really angelic face despite her somewhat cruel disposition. She was wearing a really indecent dress that stopped mid-thigh. Lass knew she wasn't the right person to make a deal with, but she was the only person he could turn to, and opposing her wouldn't do him any good now, would it?

"Better," KazeAaze said, handing him a kunai. "Make it a blood pact. Swear that you wouldn't betray me. Swear that you wouldn't serve anyone else but me."

Lass wavered before he pointed the kunai to his palm. He had no other choice anyway. He let the sharp edge of the weapon graze his skin so that blood rippled through. KazeAaze held out a vile out and took three or four drops of the reddish fluid before sealing the container with a cork. She smiled deviously at him and held her hand out.

"You're mine now."

* * *

Back at the manor, a small group of teenagers had formed a circle in the living room. The guests were all dear friends of Arme and Lass. Ronan was present too, along with his ex-girlfriend Elesis. They all blabbered on and off like a group of magpies breaking into a song. Elesis wore a scowl on her face and glared at Arme. Arme, being high of pride, glared back. Lire did her best to prevent a useless quarrel from the two girls. They had trivial matters to discuss.

"Ronan, cancel the engagement. Now," Elesis said, gritting her teeth. "This midget doesn't deserve you."

"Go ahead, Ronan. Cancel it. So that this dipshit could get her extra life back before she needs to buy one," Arme insisted, narrowing her eyes.

"Honestly, I don't remember getting engaged," Ronan said, frustrated. "I don't even remembering buying a ring or breaking up with Elesis."

"That's exactly why we're all here," Lire stated. "To know what's going on so that we'd get things over with. Arme, where did your brother go? We need him here too..."

"He left a few hours ago," Arme replied, worry marring her expression. "He should be back later. He's always like that."

Little did she know that he had no intention of returning.

* * *

*Gardosen...?/?/? WTF?

Random note: I'M BACK! And due to my rusty writing skills, my little Rialey had to edit this for me. I feel stupid again. I'm also the new owner of the site, and I'll be needing a little help since I can't manage it on my own.

Another Random note; I missed you guys... Especially you Utsuro-chan and aika-chan! I want to hug you all! Okay. Time's up. I don't want you people to waste your time reading this. Sou, Ja nee!


	10. Problems Arise

What Arme saw on the newspaper the following day shocked her so much that her whole body shook with fear. A "member" of the Erudon family had just been interviewed, and she had stated that the whole company has successfully been dominated by their clan. Winning it back, according to her, would be rather impossible unless Arme's family is willing to invest over 100 million dollars for the building, 10 million more for the workers and 1 million as payment for the efforts the Erudons have put into "managing" the company.

Arme sighed in despair. Since the company is now governed by a so-called parasite, she would have to do away with what she had inherited from her parents, and even that wasn't enough to buy the company back. She paced back and forth before running toward the telephone and dialing Elesis' number. Despite being a real hothead, that girl had great leadership skills. She just might be able to help...

"Please pick up," Arme whispered into the mouthpiece. _If only brother was here... He'd know what to do..._

"Hello," someone said from the other side of the line. "If this is another stupid prank call, I'll make sure I'll track you down and beat you up till you stop breathing..."

"Elesis!" Arme screamed, relieved to hear the redhead's voice.

"Midget? What's gotten into you? It's only 7 o'clock in the morning and you're already hurting my ears with your squeaky little voice," Elesis said. Arme could practically feel the smirk behind her words.

"I need your help," Arme stated as calmly as possible.

"You always need it," Elesis retorted. "I mean, what could you possibly do without me? You'd probably trip over nothing or maybe you would accidentally fall in love with your own brother."

"Oh Elesis, you're so divine. I'd worship you if you were a goddess..." Arme jerked with angry sarcasm.

"You could oppose without being sarcastic, shortcake," Elesis said. "Anyway, why the sudden call?"

"I already told you... I need your help. Have you read the newspaper?" Arme asked, her voice lowering into a whisper.

"Newspaper?"

"Oh yeah... I forgot... You don't even know how to read..."

"Of course I know how to read! I just... I don't like newspapers... They're boring and the letters are so tiny I could barely see them..."

Arme buried her head in a facepalm. "Enough. Is Sieghart reading one right now?"

"No... He only brought it to the living room. He didn't bother reading it."

"Well, go get it. But don't drop the phone..."

"Okay... Sheesh... I can't believe I'm following orders from you, midget."

* * *

KazeAaze lied still on her side on a couch inside the widest office on the top floor. Beside her was a clueless Lass who sat with a blank expression on his face. His hands were heavily stained with blood.

Only earlier, KazeAaze had ordered him to rip Gardosen apart and he did what he was told. As he recalled what happened, he felt a tinge of pain inside of him, but he couldn't seem to make out why he seemed hurt by what he had done. He shut his eyes, trying to rid himself of whatever he was feeling.

"That snotty little family would be panicking by now... Especially the heiress. I wonder how she reacted when she saw all that fortune go down the drain," KazeAaze chuckled, sitting up as she stroked Lass' hair.

Lass shied away from her, his hands shaking.

KazeAaze understood his actions and frowned. "The weak are meant to die, my boy. You were doing Gardosen a favor..."

"He said he didn't want to die yet. He told you he'd do better if you'd give him a chance."

"Weak people don't deserve second chances. You did the right thing not listening to him. If you hadn't obeyed me, we wouldn't have gotten to where we are now."

"Couldn't you just send him away?"

"But if I did that, he'd keep coming back. At least now, he'd rot in hell where he belongs, and he'd never be able to return."

KazeAaze smirked and pulled Lass closer to her. The rest of their problems have yet to arrive, but Lass is the right person to fix them once they come.

* * *

"You spent a whole 20 minutes trying to make out what the headline says. How the hell did you step up to high school?" Arme stated, her composure cracking.

"I'm not the nerd here. Just explain everything to me," Elesis said, her voice rising.

"For the hundredth time Elesis, it's hard to explain."

"So- Hey, Lire's at the door. Sieg said that she's got to tell me something extremely important. Gotta go. Bye."

And then she was gone.

"When she's the only one I could turn to, she becomes a dummy. What do I do now?" Arme muttered to herself as she dropped to the floor. She folded her knees and hugged them, hoping that she could find comfort within herself. "I must be dead."

* * *

A/N: OwO extremely short chapter... Updates are slow because school is eating up my computer time. That's all. Sayonara. -Haruna.

-  
E/N: I've got to apologize too... Haru sent me the file last week but I was too lazy to edit it xDD. Go blame fatal frame. - Ria.  
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